The world in focus

﻿The Rehearsal

Most synagogues prohibit photography during Shabbat, so those most cherished moments during one’s bar or bat mitzvahs ceremony are left only in memories. It is for this reason that I love photographing the rehearsal before the actual rite of passage. Not only does this give the bar/bat mitzvah a chance for a run-through without pressure, but it allows those meaningful moments to be captured digitally: The proud parents and loving siblings, the grandparents practicing their aliyah, the reading of the Torah and the tenderness between the rabbi and student.

So though I was not able to photograph on Shabbat, I had the special honor of witnessing and recording the next best thing.